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Colorado Springs — A former funeral home owner, Carie Hallford, was sentenced to 30 years in prison on Friday after pleading guilty to corpse abuse related to the discovery of nearly 200 decomposing bodies at facilities linked to Return to Nature; she and her ex-husband were arrested in October 2023 following community complaints and investigations. The sentences follow coordinated state and federal prosecutions that produced an 18-year federal term in March to run concurrently with Friday’s state sentence; Jon Hallford previously received a 40-year sentence at a February hearing. This week state officials said the case has prompted regulatory reviews and steps to tighten oversight of the funeral industry.

Prepared by Emily Rhodes and reviewed by editorial team.